CRIME, POLICE + COURTS

Josh Powell’s sister wore a wire and asked him to confess to killing his wife, Cold podcast reveals

Jan 2, 2019, 2:00 AM | Updated: Dec 30, 2022, 11:29 am

Josh Powell, the husband of Susan Powell, is surrounded by reporters as he leaves a Pierce County c...

Josh Powell, the husband of Susan Powell, is surrounded by reporters as he leaves a Pierce County courtroom, Sept. 23, 2011, in Tacoma, Wash. (Photo: Associated Press)

(Photo: Associated Press)

PUYALLUP, Wash. — Susan Powell had been missing for a month-and-a-half when Jennifer Graves – the sister of Susan’s husband, Josh Powell – made an offer the police never expected.

Susan had vanished on a cold night in December 2009, and nobody had seen her since. The police hadn’t found her body, a murder weapon, or any clear proof of what had happened to her. Still, even if they couldn’t prove it, they were convinced of two things: Susan was dead, and her husband, Josh, had killed her.

They weren’t the only ones who believed it. In January of 2010, Josh’s own sister contacted the West Valley City Police and told them she was every bit as convinced her brother was behind it as they were.

She wanted to do something about it. She believed that if she could get Josh alone, she could get him to confess – and she was willing to wear a wire while she did it.

It’s a little-known chapter of the story of the disappearance of Susan Powell: Jennifer Graves secretly recorded herself confronting Josh about his role in Susan’s death and begged him for a confession, all while deputies monitored the audio nearby in case Graves got into trouble.

You can hear the actual audio from that conversation in episode 8 of Cold.

Josh Powell’s strange behavior

Josh walks past the side of the moving truck with a small sign reading “Where Will U Go Next?” on it as he moves out of his home in West Valley, Utah, on Jan. 9, 2010. (Photo: Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News(

Jennifer had reason to be suspicious. She’d been there, at the Powells’ home, on the day Susan went missing.

She was the family’s emergency contact, and when Susan didn’t turn up to drop her kids off at the daycare on Dec. 7th, 2009, Jennifer rushed to their home. She waited there, outside the locked door of the house on Sarah Circle in West Valley City, calling Susan’s friends and family in the hopes that someone knew where she was.

She was even there with the police when Josh rolled up to the driveway, his two kids in the back seat and his wife nowhere to be found.

Josh told the police that he’d taken his children on an impromptu camping trip at midnight, out in the West Desert, on one of the coldest nights in December.

It was a strange alibi, but what disturbed Jennifer even more was her brother’s attitude. Jennifer would later say: “He doesn’t appear to be distressed at all about his wife.”

His behavior, in the days to come, would only get stranger. The next morning, Josh would ask his sister to help him clean laundry around the house, including washing the red stains out a pile of rags that the police had found in his bathtub the day before.

At the time, Jennifer agreed. And, as a result, what might have been a vital piece of evidence was destroyed before the police were able to get a warrant to confiscate it.

That decision plagued her, especially as Josh’s behavior grew more and more suspicious. The next day, he picked up a rental car and drove it for 800 miles, taking a mysterious trip police have yet to fully understand. Then, 12 days after his wife vanished, Josh left the state altogether.

By then, it was well-known that Josh was the lead suspect in the case. Still, a group of volunteers helped him pack his things and send him off, even though Josh grinned at one them and told her with a laugh: “I put Susan’s head in the trunk.”

Jennifer was fed up.

“Why are you all covering up for him?” she demanded. “Why aren’t you just pushing him to tell what he knows?”

Jennifer Graves’s secret recording

Jennifer Graves

File photo of Jennifer Graves, taken on June 24, 2013, in South Jordan, during a promotion for her book “A Light In Dark Places.” (Photo: Tom Smart, Deseret News)

Jennifer Graves confronted Josh during a family gathering in Washington. She waited until she had him alone, then tried to pry the truth out of him, never letting on that she was secretly recording every word he said.

She asked him about the 800 miles he clocked on a rental car, about the arguments he and Susan had before she vanished, and about his whereabouts on the day his wife vanished.

There’s no confession on the tape. Even talking to his sister, Josh was careful with his words, telling her: “My attorney told me: just don’t talk about it. Don’t talk about specifics.”

Hearing the actual audio, with Jennifer and Josh’s voices, however, brings the conversation to a whole new level. Jennifer’s frustration is undeniable, building until she blurts out: “You need to confess now and get it over with!”

“She did a phenomenal job, in my opinion,” Det. Ellis Maxwell told Cawley. “She probably felt like she didn’t do enough… But at the end of the day, she knows that there was nobody who was going to break Josh. Nobody.”

In the latest episode of Cold, you’ll hear the actual audio for yourself, from the moment Jennifer steps into the home to the moment when her fight with Josh breaks out into an all-out argument across the whole family, screaming at each other in the front yard.

And you’ll even hear the aftermath from the car ride home, when Jennifer broke down to her husband, crying: “My God. He killed her.”

Listen to Cold on the KSL Newsradio website or on Apple Podcasts.

Listen on Apple Podcasts

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

Crime, Police + Courts

A video recorded by Facebook user Larry Jacquez shows the police response following the shooting in...

Jamiel Lynch, CNN     

At least 3 people killed and 2 officers wounded in a shooting in Farmington, New Mexico, police say

Multiple people were shot and at least three killed in a shooting in Farmington, New Mexico, police said in a Facebook post.

11 months ago

slcpd on the scene of the deaths...

Josh Ellis

Police: Teen killed by father in murder-suicide in SLC office building

Police responded to the office complex near 3000 S. Highland Drive on Saturday after emergency responders received a call from a community member who reported finding a body.

11 months ago

a police car is pictured...

Mark Jones

SLCPD investigating suspious death, seeks public’s assistance

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City police say a body found Sunday morning in downtown is considered to be a suspicious death. Police were called to the area of 536 S. 200 West just after 11 a.m. Once on scene, officers confirmed the individual, who was found in a field, to be deceased. Information […]

11 months ago

The new Utah State Correctional Facility is pictured in Salt Lake City on Thursday, June 30, 2022. ...

Mark Jones

State Correctional Facility placed on temporary lockdown

The Utah State Correctional Facility was placed on temporary lockdown Saturday following a fight with several inmates.

11 months ago

The Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the deaths of two people. Their bodies were f...

Mark Jones

SLCPD investigating after two bodies found inside an office complex

Salt Lake City police are investigating the discovery of two bodies found Saturday inside an office complex near 3000 S. Highland Drive.

11 months ago

Unified police...

Mark Jones

Woman dies in hiking accident in Big Cottonwood Canyon

Unified Police say a 34-year-old woman died Friday following a hiking accident in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

11 months ago

Sponsored Articles

close up of rose marvel saliva blooms in purple...

Shannon Cavalero

Drought Tolerant Perennials for Utah

The best drought tolerant plants for Utah can handle high elevations, alkaline soils, excessive exposure to wind, and use of secondary water.

Group of cheerful team members high fiving each other...

Visit Bear Lake

How To Plan a Business Retreat in Bear Lake This Spring

Are you wondering how to plan a business retreat this spring? Read our sample itinerary to plan a team getaway to Bear Lake.

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...

BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.

Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a New Winter Activity? Try Skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.

Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...

Intermountain Health

Five Common Causes of Cervical Cancer – and What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.

Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get Ready for Fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.

Josh Powell’s sister wore a wire and asked him to confess to killing his wife, Cold podcast reveals